Letter Between Counsel, Plaintiff Insufficient to Break Relationship in Asbestos Case

PENNYAN, N.Y. - A judge in a New York asbestos case has refused to allow a plaintiff to cut ties with counsel, determining that neither provided the court or additional parties in the lawsuit with adequate notice that the client had severed his relationship with counsel and dropped his complaint. In Re: Seventh Judicial District Asbestos Litigation, Paul Armstrong v. AC&S, Inc., et al., No. 01-291 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., Yates Cty.).

Justice Raymond E. Cornelius of the Yates County Supreme Court ruled Aug. 13 that despite the plaintiff's request to discontinue his lawsuit, the firm he hired to pursue the …